Our Probably-Not-Really-Mexican-But-Neither-Are-We Meal (Refried beans done right)

Sunday's are busy at our house. We all shower, eat breakfast, dress up, pack lunch and leave by 9. Go to meeting, eat lunch at the Kingdom Hall, go in service til about 2, and when we get home we have to at least try to tidy the chaos that we made while getting ready to leave. So Sunday dinner's are easy. I do use canned beans on Sundays but you could certainly use dry beans that have been boiled ahead of time.
These beans are so flavorful you might never go back. They are more effort than opening the cans and scraping it into a saucepan, but after you've done it once you can fly by the seat of your pants and make them according to your mood that night. We ate the Summer Corn Salad with our burritos tonight.

Personally Refried Beans

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes
1 onion chopped finely
2 cloves garlic thinly sliced
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp each cumin
                    cardamon
pinch of cloves
chili flakes to taste (optional)
salt and pepper
1 tbsp butter

In a heavy skillet saute onion and garlic in a little olive oil until almost translucent. Add spices and stir quickly, keeping things moving so that they don't burn.

Add can of tomatoes with juice. Simmer until thick.











Add beans and mix well. Add water until there is still a layer of beans above the water line. Simmer, mashing occasionally with a wooden spoon or potato masher until it's as thick/smooth as you want.
When you take it off the heat stir in the butter. Do not skip this step. It brings it all together and keeps it form getting pasty and dried out. And it's butter. Don't skip butter.

No finished product picture for this one, because let's face it, refired beans aren't pretty. But please let me know how you use yours and how you like it! Cass